From George Washington to George Clinton, 28 May 1780
To George Clinton
Morris Town May 28. 1780
Dr Sir,
In consequence of the intelligence from Your Excellency communicated to me by General Schuyler, I have put the New York Brigade under orders to march tomorrow morning for the North River.1 They will proceed to Kings ferry, and from thence in boats to New burgh—where sloops with provisions must be ready to convey them to Albany.2 General Schuyler will give Your Excellency a ful⟨la⟩ccount of our circumstances and of the impossibility of our supplying the troops beyond New Burgh, nay even so far we must impress on the road. To his letter I beg leave to refer you.3 I have the honor to be with the greatest respect and regard Yr Excellency’s Most Obed. and humble servan[t]
Go: Washington
LS, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, PWacD: Sol Feinstone Collection, on deposit at PPAmP; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Mutilated material on the LS is supplied in angle brackets from the draft. The LS is addressed to Clinton at Kingston, New York.
2. See GW to James Clinton, 30 May.
3. A portion of New York delegate Philip Schuyler’s letter to Clinton written at Morristown on this date reads: “I have promised General Washington to point out the necessary arrangements to move and supply the troops from [New] Windsor, whence they must proceed in Sloops, but as of these, the number there will be inadequate to Embark one thousand one hundred men (the amount of the Brigade). I have to Intreat that measures be adopted to hasten from Esopus [Kingston] and its vicinity whatever water Craft may be proper on the occassion to rendezvous at Windsor with every degree of dispatch possible; The necessity of sending live stock or salted meat on board of the vessels for the Subsistance of the troops at least for the voyage to Albany, as well as flour will appear evident, when I Inform you that the army has been on Quarter allowance of meat for many days past, that the last is Issued, and that General [James] Clinton’s Brigade will march without any.” Schuyler added that he had recommended to James Clinton that he “Impress what may be Indispensible for the subsistance of his troops and to accelerate their movements.” Schuyler also added that he intended soon to address the state legislature in Kingston (, 5:767–69).
New York lieutenant governor Pierre Van Cortlandt and Evert Bancker, speaker of the assembly, wrote Brig. Gen. James Clinton on 30 May for the New York legislature: “By a Letter from the Honorable Philip Schuyler Esqr. now at Head Quarters, We are informed of the March of your Brigade and requested to provide for the Subsistence and Transportation of the Troops from New Burgh to Albany we have accordingly employed Persons to procure Vessels & Provisions for the purpose. … His Excellency the Governor is now at Albany and as we have by Express forwarded to him the Letter from Mr. Schuyler he will be apprized in season of your March” (, 361–62).